The Inside Story of Terri Thatcher
by The Ikran Rider
Summary: Based on the events of the two films from my OC's POV. Terri is your average, everyday individual living in the Big Apple. Until one day, her life will be changed forever. This describes her life as she goes on numerous adventures with the superhero quartet.


**Disclaimer: I don't own the films or the crossovers that'll eventually come to this story, they belong to Marvel. Of course, I gotta give them credit for making the best film series ever! Still, I wish they would make a third one.**

**Note: I know what you're probably all thinking...**

**"A Fantastic 5 fic? How original..." Well this one is completely unique.**

**I'm going to introduce an OC in diary form, which has never been done before. So I thought I'd give it a try. As I said in my profile, I'll eventually start off an OC series relating to the canon. So here is Act 1.**

**With all that said, let's begin!**

* * *

><p>Hello, my name is Terri Grace Thatcher. Okay, first of all do NOT confuse me with Teri Hatcher. I'm not an actress, unless if you're referring to my good friend Sue. She always wanted to be an actress besides being a scientist alongside Reed. Anyway, this is my secret diary of my life, but I wouldn't recommend this to just anyone. It's between my friends and me and not to the fate of heart. I wouldn't reveal this to the outside world 'cause...well it wouldn't be a secret now would it? Here's my life in a nutshell.<p>

**New Beginnings**

2/29/2005

Dear Diary,

Where should I begin?

Well, I guess I should start somewhere since I'm writing my life's story. I'd probably start with this...

I'm a young adult (Age? Completely unnecessary!) living in the heart of the Big Apple. I live in a shabby apartment, with a full-time job at an office called _Papers & Profit. _It's a small business but, hey, it's a start. I actually moved here a few months ago, and I decided that with my first paycheck, I thought I'd have something to record my personal thoughts in.

I was so relieved living my own life, instead of being pestered by parents and siblings...But then again, who doesn't these days? I do, however, miss my dog, Angela. She'll always be in my heart wherever I'll go...

It was a long trip from Jersey, and I knew I was going into great risks when I applied for a job faraway. But it was so worth it when I finally got my dream job! As an entry-level employee, I don't get paid as much as I'd thought. Other than that, New York's not so bad.

**New Friends**

3/17/2005

Happy St, Patty's Day! I'm not really Irish, but I do feel lucky.

I've recently met the most handsome, charming guy I could ever lay my eyes on. His name was John Myers, and he's roughly my age. He used to be an FBI agent, but he later joined the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense. When I first came to the busy city, I needed someone to help me get around, and he was the guy. He'd shown me almost everything the Big Apple had to offer, from the shortest routes to the restaurants that had the best cuisine.

He told me about his life and how he became enlisted in this new organization. From there he met some quite interesting people. First was Hellboy, who was the head honcho of the group; then there was Liz, who could turn herself into blue flames when provoked; and of course there was the shy, though admirable, Abe. He said it was harsh since he had to deal with the "strange and peculiar." I couldn't agree more since I too was the new kid, er adult, on the block.

Later on, he showed me his best leisure area, Central Park. It was very peaceful, unlike the constant traffic that you hear every second. All you could listen to is people walking by or taking their bicycles down the gravel path. Sometimes you could meet friendly dogs if you are able to stay there long enough. It was also eye-candy as you can sit on a wooden bench and just mellow out while you look across the river and view the city from afar.

While we were there, we saw two people in a neighboring bench. One was bald, while the other was thin, had short, black hair, and was a bit of a nerd. John told me that he knew them as Ben Grimm and Reed Richards. He once heard about them in a local newspaper, but I forgot what it was about. With John, I introduced myself. Reed was quite on the timid side, like me. Though Ben was more outspoken. Then I came to realize that they first met in college, and Ben since became his personal friend and bodyguard. Just thinking of his name reminded me of the Clock Tower in London. I always wanted to visit there and see and hear the majestic clock up close. He and Reed also told me that that was the same college they met Susan and Victor. We eventually said goodbye, and John escorted me back to the apartment until he left for his new shift.

**Brought Together, Torn Apart**

4/4/2005

Ever since John joined the Bureau, I've heard less and less from him, until recently. He said he was heading to Moscow to search for a cold-blooded killer who murdered Hellboy's father a few days ago. He went by the name of Grigori Rasputin. That name sounded weird to me, almost German-like.

A few days later, I received some bad news. The good news, he was returning to New York again, and the manhunt was a success. Bad news? Liz broke up with him. He said he at first had feelings for her, but in the end she had a greater love interest for Hellboy. So I decided to invite him for dinner, so he could talk all about it. I figured it'd be better if we'd talk in person. It wasn't easy as it is, sending letters to each other from NY to Russia, and vice versa. Heck, calling wasn't even an option from that distance either.

We went to _Capelli's_ and we talked the mission and the break up to death. In fact, it was kind of like death, for him anyway. I sympathized him that if he ever needs someone, it would be me. I had to return the favor since he helped me survive in this complex city! He also said that he was going to quit the Bureau and go back to the FBI. I assumed this was only a rumor since he was so drunk on the red wine.

4/24/2005

Well...what I was afraid was going to happen, happened. John Myers did quit the paranormal squad and was immediately drafted back to Square One. He was sort of devastated since he lost his girlfriend and his job. He was, however, glad to be back at his normal roots.

5/15/2005

It took a long while to readjust to everything that's happened. I thought our lives, especially mine, were going absolutely nowhere. But it was on that fateful day I got an urgent call from Reed.

**The Fantastic Four**

5/31/2005

My friend, Ben, has explained to me about a space mission involving how this solar radiation can fundamentally change people's DNA, save them from illness, and live longer. I'm not a big science freak so I'm not sure what it stands for. That event was supposed to take place in six weeks. He asked me if I wanted to go with him and Reed and I accepted. What can I say? I have a dead end job and my life is pretty dull, so it would be an excellent opportunity to "push my limits." I later followed Ben where Reed was giving a demonstration to Victor. I was never too fond of that guy; something about him makes me uncomfortable. I eavesdropped as I looked through a window. I met a woman with long, blonde hair who introduced herself as Susan Storm. She said that her younger brother, Johnny, is piloting the ship, which made Ben a little jealous. I started packing for the week in space. I was very thrilled about this!

7/12/2005

The day had finally arrived! I met Johnny before the big day; he seemed very cocky and he loved being the center of attention. At the shuttle Sue gave us these weird spacesuits and she said that Victor made them. When I looked at the tag, it said S. I told them a million times to make a medium! I was completely outraged, but I tried it on anyway. It was a tight snug, but it still fitted.

The journey was exhilarating! It was way cooler than the Mission to Mars ride at Epcott. I went there when I was a kid. I saw the Von Doom Space Station floating in the very reaches of space. We went inside and I immediately took out my Fujifilm camera and snapped some pictures. They would look great for the newspapers and mags back on Earth! I wasn't sure what to do when I got there, but I sure wasn't going to leisure around. I was too excited to settle down, then Reed offered me to help him. I accepted. We found what looked like a silver ring, but he said it was a broken gasket. I stated that he should give it to someone he loves very much, since it looked more like an engagement ring. But before I could finish, we saw a stunning sight. There was a lot of radiant energy heading our way. We rushed to Sue and Victor in the bridge. Reed said that the storm came sooner than expected! I grabbed my luggage and looked for an escape pod, which I forgot where it was! I kept yelling their names but I couldn't find them. You wouldn't realize how panicked I was as I kept running around like a fool! Finally I found one. I dropped my bags, closed and locked the door, and strapped myself in. I waited for it to pass but it was breaking in. I tried to hold it back with the door, then it knocked me back and everything went blank.

-2005

I woke up by a white light. When my eyes cleared it was only the flourescent lights overhead. I didn't see any of my friends; were they worried about me? A nurse watched me as I came to and she explained my situation. According to the MRI, there was an enormous hole at the center of my brain. She was glad that I was still alive after I was hit by the radiation storm. I didn't know what the nurse was talking about. I asked if my friends were okay but she said they left. There was only one place they could've gone to, the Baxter Building. I was going there after I delivered the brain scans to my neurologist who was in New Jersey.

7/19/2005

I went to my apartment to take my bike. The only route to get there was over the Brooklyn Bridge but it was packed by massive traffic. I remember rolling my eyes. "Give me a break..."

To make matters worse, my bike fell apart. I then saw a humongous being made of stone rescuing a person who tried to commit suicide. Who was that guy? As I got closer to the scene I saw Reed looking for Ben. A fire truck was about to fall off the bridge but the stone man used his strength to prevent it. A firefighter was hanging on for dear life then he dropped and I couldn't believe my eyes! Reed extended his arms and grabbed the person as he brought him back up. Everyone was cheering for them and then I saw the blonde girl and her brother again. Of course I didn't recognize them at first because of the amnesia. Reed called me over and he re-introduced me to his comrades. I realized that the guy made of stone was Ben; I should've known because of the baldness. Then I saw numerous newsbreaks about him and the others, and from that moment on, they were known as the Fantastic Four. I was so proud, but also sorry for Ben since Babs dumped him as he showed me his engagement ring. Which was almost the same size as an ant in his huge palm.

**Super Powers?**

A few hours later we arrived at the Baxter Building. There were a lot of huge crowds cheering for us, or rather for them. I ignored the fiasco. We were in an elevator and because of Ben's weight, we couldn't go up. So I went with him up the stairs. He said we were going to Reed's laboratory a few stories up. Upon the way, I told him that it wasn't his fault that Babs broke up with him. It was her problem because she shouldn't judge a book by its cover. If she truly loved him, then she shouldn't be so frightened of his appearance. I also told him about _Mary Sheily's Frankenstein_ as an example.

Suddenly, I saw the lights flicker and I heard someone screaming upstairs. Even though I was a few feet away, it sounded like it was right in my ear! We went inside and I realized that it was Victor demanding Reed for a cure of the "symptoms" from the storm. I couldn't believe how huge this room was! Normally labs would be in a small cramped space.

One of the experiments Reed used was on Johnny. He had the ability to turn himself into flames. He rumored that he could also fly, which I doubted. He was in a large heat-resistant box and the fire was growing out of control! Reed pressed a button as jets of foam extinguished the flames. He looked funny after he was covered in them! Sue said that he reached...100 Kelvin? Something like that; it was the same temp as the sun. And Reed concluded that he could destroy everything in the planet as he reached supernova!

I saw Ben getting his reflexes checked with a hammer, he didn't quite feel anything. Then his leg shot out and knocked an object clear across the room as he was hit by a pole. I then saw his body being scanned and Reed stated that his body was as hard as a rock, even his insides! Next I saw Sue getting examined. She had the ability to turn invisible and form force fields. Reed said that it was based on her emotions, whether it's shyness or anger. Then it finally came down to me.

I showed him my MRIs and he was astonished that I was still alive. I told him that the nurse said I have amnesia, but after my examinations were complete, he stated that I have telepathy and telekinesis! I was flabbergasted! I didn't even use my powers...yet. As he left for a few minutes, it seemed I had a hallucination. Victor was being examined too in a hospital and his bones were turning into metal. The doc was worried and wanted to stop the spreading, but he was killed by electricity coming from his fingers. I shook my head and denied myself that it wasn't real.

During dinner the team and I gathered together to listen to Reed's plan. He wanted to build a machine that can generate the power of the cosmic storm. That way, it could reverse our symptoms and turn us back to normal. I wanted to turn back because I was worried about my powers. What if they go off spontaneously as I go to my job? But Reed said that I should stay until he gets the machine built and tested. He also stated that the effects could even kill us if not done right. Ben started to get more irritated. Apparently he was the reason that Reed was so desperate. Sue said that we would stay for awhile until everything is under control. I called my boss and told her everything that's happened. She said she can find a replacement until I "feel better." What a sour note.

That night I had a nightmare of a hooded figure who was on another hunt. This time he killed a guy named Ned as he electrocuted him with his bolts from his fingers. It took place in a dark garage. To me, each dream was more real than the last. I was getting very scared. The sooner I turn back to my normal self, the better.

**Anxieties**

7/20/2005

I remembered helping Reed look for some missing tools as I passed a gigantic robot. It's eyes started to glow and I felt its presence. The hairs at the back of my neck stood up and I looked behind me. Somehow it was activated and it started to attack me. Reed said that he would distract it while I look for a switch on his back to deactivate it. Sure enough I found it, but before I could even touch it, it shut down and collapsed with a thud. He said that I used my telekinesis to make it work and make it inactive. I was so relieved and came to accept that he was right after all.

I was looking for something to do and I found the television blaring. It was one of those X-game competitions and I remembered that Johnny was an "andrenaline junkie." As I watched, he took off his outfit and revealed his spacesuit which had the number 4 on it! My jaw dropped and I rushed to warn Reed but Ben noticed it too. He was really mad at this. Soon enough, they came and saw what he'd done, goofing off with his powers. I listened to him giving us names like Mr. Fantastic, or Egghead; The Invisible Girl...er Woman; The Human Torch; and the most annoying ones like The Thing and Psycho. We all wanted to go and give a piece of our minds and knock some sense into him as Ben would love to do.

When we got there I tried to stop Ben crumbling up his car into a metal ball of rubble. Johnny confronted him and they got into a big fight. Sue and I separated them and Ben stormed off. We both followed and reasoned with him that Reed was trying his best to fix the problem, all we needed was a little time. Apparently time was something that Ben didn't have. We had no idea where he went since then.

I couldn't sleep that night; I kept worrying about Ben and my powers. I even broke a lot of glasses as I tried to use my telekinesis to bring them to me. I had another nightmare about the hooded figure killing more people. I couldn't take it anymore, I had to tell Reed what's happening. Something was out there that must be stopped. The lights flickered and I thought it was him, but it wasn't. Reed was testing the machine on some samples in tubes. I watched and told him what was happening. He said that I shouldn't worry about my nightmares and I tried to convince him otherwise. I left sadly and sat and sulked. After about an hour I heard some clanking noises. Ben returned and he was madder than ever. Sue and I told him to stop fighting Reed and Ben left again as he said that we were on our own and that he's no longer our bodyguard. I was devastated. I told Sue about my troubles and we found Reed testing himself with the machine. He didn't look so good after that.

Before I slept the lights flickered once again, this time it was coming from across the street. There was a building similar to the Baxter Building but with a big V on it, and I knew it was Victor's place. At the top, lights were flashing as I saw a machine similar to Reed's. At that moment I knew everything. Victor was the mysterious hooded figure killing everyone with electricity. And I believed that he made the trip and the miscalculations so the cosmic energy could kill us and make him some kind of a demigod. I was right as I saw Reed tumble down the building after Victor attacked him. I frantically went to Sue and we headed there. We found Ben who was in his normal self again. Johnny came in too and according to Ben, Reed was captured by Victor. I told them all of my facts that I put together. They agreed. Just then I saw a missile heading straight for us, but then I realized it was after Johnny. I heard him shout "Flame on!" as he engulfed himself in flames, and flew away! He was right about being able to fly! Sue wanted me to stay with Ben and he decided to go back into the machine and turn himself back. He was hesitant but he wanted to help us defeat Victor. I agreed and he went for it.

**Vamoose, Victor!**

I sensed that Sue and Reed were in peril so Ben crashed through the wall and I followed. "It's clobbering time!" he said. And he punched Victor toward a wall as it collapsed on top of him. It was amazing of what he could do in his current form! He smashed the ice tubes and Sue and I saw Victor close in on him, knocking him out of the window as they fell into a pool of water. It didn't hold their weight and they continued to fall further down. I couldn't take the suspense so I went outside the window as I saw a scaffold to the right. I tried to tread on the skinny frame without falling as I slowly stepped to it. At about five minutes I reached it and pressed a button which lowered it. Slowly it descended and it got stuck on the tenth floor. I jumped out as it fell and grabbed another frame from another story. My grip didn't hold for long and I fell on top of a green roof that was made by some thick material, almost like leather from one of those shopping roofs. I landed on my bottom and began to step down from it onto the street below. I looked right and saw Ben tossing a car at Victor. I ran to help him but I was stopped when someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me back. It was Reed and Sue was right behind him! I hollered that Ben needed help, and they said only the both of them could do it. He said that I should keep the people safe while they defeat Von Doom. I lead everyone to safety, some poeple were rushing into a nearby building to cover themselves. Johnny reunited with the trio. Doom was gathering electricity and I told everyone to get down and take cover. Then I saw Johnny's supernova and Sue trying to hold it. I decided to help by using my telekinesis until he burst out of the funnel. Victor was glowing bright from the heat and then I heard Reed talk about Chemistry 10.101. Ben opened a hydrant and Reed guided the ice cold water toward the villian until he became frozen! I was astounded of what they can do as a team!

At that moment I remembered what happened at the Brooklyn Bridge, but I still couldn't remember the space incident. Instead of cheering for them I walked away. The team noticed me but I kept going. They were the Fantastic Four after all, not the Fantastic Five. I kept walking until a taxi stopped me. It honked and the driver offered me a free ride. I accepted and I told him to take me to Central Park. It was my favorite place to relax at whenever I felt down, such as now. I held back my tears and I spent almost an hour before I headed back to the Baxter Building to get my belongings. I went to my apartment and I cried myself to sleep. It was a horrible night.

**Reconciliation**

7/21/2005

The next morning I woke up feeling completely drained. I felt like I never wanted to wake up, but I still had work so I reluctantly dragged my feet there. I didn't care what Reed said; he was the leader of that pathetic group anyway. And everyone, like Johnny, were embracing their new-found skills. So I decided to take my own chances. I didn't have a pleasant time at the office either. Everything the staff was making was about the superhero quartet. The worst part was, in all the papers and mags, I wasn't in ANY of them. I saved everyone while the four were battling Victor, so I should have at least some recognition. Unfortunately I got nothing.

I felt depressed when I left. I called John Myers so that I could talk to him about my issues, almost the same way how he relieved his. So we stopped at _Capelli's _again. It was sort of like a tradition for us. Savoring delicious Italian food while discussing our bad days. It sort of helped since I was devouring a hefty meal while talking to a good friend...Unfortunately, he was the only person I could trust. Reed and the others could just live their glorious lives without me. (sarcasm)

Unfortunately, since the city was in full throttle of the team, John's job was downgraded. Since the heroes were taking almost everything the NYPD and the fire department could do, emphasis on Johnny, he was reassigned to the private sector. I tried to reason with him that compared to his last job, at least he had more freedom and flexibility. He seemed a bit relieved about that fact. It was like a per diem thing. But then he said it got dull after awhile. Now we were both unhappy. We didn't finish our meals, and they just laid on our plates getting colder and colder. We didn't even ask the waiter to box them up.

I didn't have the mood nor the energy to change into my night clothes. So I flopped on top of the bed and let sleep take over me. That's all I ever wanted to do, since I felt I had no purpose in life. But then the phone rang; I refused to answer it. What was more punishing was that I heard Sue on my answering machine. She wanted me to come back to the team; I was like why since I was never in any of the headlines and such? I should've been since I saved all the citizens from Victor instead of fighting him directly. Then she changed the subject. She said that tomorrow night, there's going to be a cruise in honor of the Fantastic Four, and she wanted to invite me over! I was at first skeptical, but then I felt my face light up. It sounds like the team does care after all, instead of just stealing the spotlight.

7/22/2005

According to the message, Sue said that the ship would be at the Hudson Pier at 8:00 PM. The good news was, I was off work on that day. It has nothing to do with my jealousy or poor performance of any kind, so shut up! Anyways, since I was off, it gave me extra time to find something fashionable for the occasion. As you may not know, I'm not the kind of person that wears formal clothing very often. I'm usually very casual, so searching for something simple, like a dress, can be pretty challenging.

Nevertheless, I found a sleek, black dress (a freakin' medium!) that fitted me perfectly. I asked John Meyers to take me to the pier because...well, what can I say? I didn't have the directions for it. Plus he didn't mind, and it was way easier than taking a cab. It took almost thirty minutes to get there, and I arrived at a quarter ot eight. I also convinced him to come along, but he refused. He said that cruises aren't his cups of java. If anything, he'd take planes instead. I waved goodbye and I waited for the cavalry. Ten minutes later, they showed up. I took a sigh of relief since I saw them in decent outfits, rather than their uniforms.

It was everything I expected. There was a DJ, a huge buffet with a small bar, the room wasn't too crowded, and there was a massive deck if anyone decided to get some air. I reunited with Reed and the others, with a new guest. Ben introduced me to Alicia Winters. She was black, beautiful, very accepting with Ben's appearance, and...she was blind! I instantly loved her; she has a calm demeanor, and she's really into art. Kind of like me since I do photography an scrapbooking. But she particularly likes sculpting; she's kind of like Stevie Wonder but not with music. But most of all, she understands how people are different, especially Ben. In fact, thanks to her, that was why he wanted to stay as he is and still be a part of the team.

When Reed and Sue left, I looked out toward the deck. With my telepathy, I heard them talking from a distance. Then something amazing happened. Reed actually knelt and proposed to Sue. I saw her turn invisible, beside her clothes, out of nervousness and some joy as well. I somehow knew that she would eventually accept Reed as her man, unlike Victor whom she used to admire. It was a great choice on her part, and we cheered for them. Just then Johnny broke us up and took off in flames again, but this time, he was making our team logo. It was awe-inspiring, I just couldn't resist to take a picture!

Everyone settled, but not me. I actually announced to everyone of Reed and Sue's official engagement, and I did two songs as a tribute. Johnny was amazed that I could sing very well. I said it was nothing, just a little skill. I, too, was shocked how it was that good. Four hours later, we were back to base. We said good night and Reed offered me to be a part of the team...but under the condition that I'd be trained first.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: You're probably thinking that Terri is sort of a Jean Grey rip-off, right? Well, she's not. For one, she does have similar abilities, but at least she doesn't eventually go all crazy about 'em, let's them get the best of her, and kills everyone she loves. I'm looking at you, Dark Phoenix! See, this was why I hated X-Men 3.**

**Second, she has a slightly different personality. Think of Terra Branford from Final Fantasy 6. She, too, is fragile and is concerned about others, especially when it comes to using her powers. She sometimes gets nervous about using them, but at least she becomes a great aspect to the team later on, instead of staying as a tool. Referring to Jean/Magneto. (She was only a part of Kefka because she had a Slave Crown during the beginning) **

**And she also has an immense amount of courage to boot. She would stop at absolutely NOTHING to protect what she holds dear, regardless of the cost. So think of it as a Jean/Terra mash-up. But mostly leaning toward the half-human, half-Esper side.**

**Anyway, that's it for the first film. I have other fics planned as well, but they won't be in diary-style. They'll just be regular stories featuring Terri...and maybe some other OC's as well.**


End file.
